Re: Pricing - Aura Cacia line

[Guest guest]

The discussion on pricing we just had proved timely for me when I

noticed a new perfume display at the local health food coop today -

it's an Aura Cacia line, appealingly packaged -- slender roll-on vials

packed in paper tubes - and presented - they have five or six, simply

labelled as 'Fruit', Flower, Woody, Root, etc., and then with a nice

byline under that. They smell natural as they claim to be and are

pleasing, if perhaps no more than pleasing, I couldn't say that right

off one way or the other. The ingredient list is pretty simple, about

10 ingredients for each scent. The only suspect item was the first one

listed for each, which, sorry, I swore I would remember but I don't; it

was a triglyceride - I'll look again and report back.

OK, and now hear this: 8.5 ml for $12.99.

Obviously it would be impossible for a small perfumer to compete with

this at face value to even a pretty sophisticated consumer in that type

of context.

I set my price point at $44. for 3.5+ ml., which I see is the same as

that of at least one other of us (is it maybe not tactful to specify? -

I got the info from her website and would be happy to name names, but

then wasn't sure if that was OK). I then fell back from that just to

try to get things moving as my perfume right now is in only one retail

outlet which has turned out to be not optimal for it. Though I don't

think in general it's a good idea to pull back the price like that,

although one friend has told me he loves to buy perfume on sale, but I

don't see perfume as particularly appropriate to sales, at any rate not

artisanal perfumes, unless you want to clear your stock -- which used

to be the reason for sales!!

My own marketing efforts are suspended right now by uncertainties

about moving, and various too tedious to relate, but this Aura Cacia

breakout only underscores what I already know - one's marketing has to

be skilled, savvy and tireless, as Anya has indicated when talking

about participating in key blogs, getting one's name around, and

ultimately, creating a cachet around one's product. Some are better

than others at pulling off this feat.

I agree, ne, that this little imbroglio will probably work to

Andy Tauer's advantage by alerting us in to the cachet around his

L'Air..., as well as to his artisanal quality, Janita, yes, so

sometimes a little twist of Fate can help, I guess.

e

[Guest guest]

>

I was going to have my

> roll ons in a major health store chain and they wanted such a cheap

> price....I have since raised my price on my roll ons and still if I

were to

> honestly look at ingredients costs etc. it is a ridiculous price.

>

> $12.99 is such a joke for 8.5 mls....although a large company maybe

able to

> pull this off..bulk buying power.....

>>

I find that as I grow in sales and recognition, I am less inclined to

wholesale my product. I would love to be exclusive, or just work with

a few folks that I trust. I have a hand full on hold right now, until

we get our products changed over to our new packaging..

So far I have been approached by many who wish to carry my natural

line. They want them for nothing. Some folks are not entirely honest

and some I just don't want to deal with at all.

I was just in Wild Oats last night (our version of Whole Foods), and

took a quick look in the cosmetics section. There were several

fragrances, but no natural ones.

I know someone who works at another Wild Oats closer to the city, who

once told me that they quit carrying some of the more expensive

product lines, including perfumes, because people steal them. I

suppose that for a place like that to carry a decent selection of

natural perfumes, they would need a perfume counter and attendants. As

it is now all they have are basic store shelving.

To me that would be the more feasible situation, since I don't see the

big chain department stores freeing up a lot of shelf space, when the

big perfume houses are established sellers and have so much power in

that area.

People will pay high prices for organic grass fed beef at the Wild

Oats Store, and not bat an eye. They are educated and know what they

are spending their money on. I think that if it were done right a

perfume counter in a place like that would actually be a better choice

for natural perfumes, provided they were real natural perfumes, high

end and no buck fifty kinda stuff in blue dropper bottles.

Z.....

Zz's Petals

http://www.zzspetals.com